England coach provides fitness update on Ben Stokes’ availability on Day 5 of 4th Test against India
Overview:
Having retired hurt with a cramp on Day 3, he opted against bowling, even as England struggled to come up with answers to stop India’s rearguard action.
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Ben Stokes was brilliant with the bat, but he was notable by his absence from the attack as England toiled with the ball.
Having retired hurt with a cramp on Day 3, he opted against bowling, even as England struggled to come up with answers to stop India’s rearguard action.
With a series-leading 16 wickets, Stokes may need to join the attack if the hosts are to dismiss India in time to claim victory.
“We’re hoping that with another night’s rest and a bit more physio work overnight that he’ll be back and doing a bit tomorrow,” Trescothick said.
Should India hold on, it would head into the final test at the Oval with the chance of tying the series 2-2.
Meanwhile, the end of the morning session could hardly have gone worse for India.
Yashasvi Jaiswal went for a duck after just four balls, caught by Joe Root off Woakes. And Woakes immediately struck again, to give himself a chance of a hat-trick, when Sai Sudharsan went for a golden duck, caught by Harry Brook.
At 1-2 at lunch, it looked like being a painful rest of the day for India, but through KL Rahul and Shubman Gill, it rallied to 174-2 at stumps on Day 4. A resilient second session included a fourth 50 of the series for Gill.
India grew in confidence as the partnership of the two leading run-scorers in the series looked immovable through the evening session, with Rahul emulating Gill by also reaching a fourth 50 of the series.
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